09-23-2010, 12:55 PM
Dear Bodhi, thank you. And also for the reference of Bhojadeva. Do you have a transcription of that record? Unfortunately I do not have a book containing the inscriptions of the medieval period, which would be a welcome primary source besides the translated Persian sources.
There are so many hiati in the period of Muslim dominance of Delhi (and Agra). And there are a lot of fabricated or forged claims about preexisting cities, forts, palaces and temples. Luckily we have contradicting and silent views written down by the court writers.
The precomposed minds of researches credits the Muslims and particularly the Mughals with superiority on almost every field, including architecture. Just like the AIT, the medieval period was the result of the influence from abroad. But the picture is entirely different. Bundela architecture for instance has nothing to do with Mughals. The symmetrical architecture has rather more parallels with the Shaiva temple complex of Angkor Vat or other ancient Hindu structures. Our lofty edifices based upon Hindu vastushastras before 1200 and after are grossly misrepresented in standard works. There is too much a Muslim-appeasing and hostile Hindu-appreciating approach in academia, not giving room to realities fed by contradictions in the first approach.
There are so many hiati in the period of Muslim dominance of Delhi (and Agra). And there are a lot of fabricated or forged claims about preexisting cities, forts, palaces and temples. Luckily we have contradicting and silent views written down by the court writers.
The precomposed minds of researches credits the Muslims and particularly the Mughals with superiority on almost every field, including architecture. Just like the AIT, the medieval period was the result of the influence from abroad. But the picture is entirely different. Bundela architecture for instance has nothing to do with Mughals. The symmetrical architecture has rather more parallels with the Shaiva temple complex of Angkor Vat or other ancient Hindu structures. Our lofty edifices based upon Hindu vastushastras before 1200 and after are grossly misrepresented in standard works. There is too much a Muslim-appeasing and hostile Hindu-appreciating approach in academia, not giving room to realities fed by contradictions in the first approach.